Read Online Make Quilts Not War by Arlene Sachitano - Free Book Online

back in the day.”
    She patted her head with her hand.
    “The food is going to be gone if we don’t get moving,” Lauren prodded.
    “I can catch up if you want,” Jenny said. “I need to stop at the restrooms on our way. They’re right by the door out to the courtyard.”
    “Okay, we’ll meet you outside the main doors,” Harriet said and headed for the front of the building.
    “Jenny seems tense,” Lauren commented when she and Harriet were outside. The scent of frying food floated on the slight breeze. “For whatever reason, she didn’t want her old quilt in the show. They almost bullied her into participating. I don’t know what the problem is or was, but it’s clear there was one.”
    “There must be a line in the restroom,” Harriet said and looked at her watch. More than five minutes had passed.
    “I told you we should have just gone ourselves,” Lauren shot back and resumed rocking from her toes to her heels.
    Someone screamed as the main double doors burst open and a crowd of people pushed out into the courtyard. Another loud shriek followed, then a man’s voice shouting for someone to call 911.
    “What’s going on?” Lauren pushed past Harriet, heading for the open doors.
    Harriet grabbed her arm.
    “Don’t go back inside until we know what’s going on,” she cautioned.
    “Jenny’s in there,” Lauren said, dragging Harriet with her as she continued toward the door. “You’re the one who always wants to stick her nose into everything. Don’t you think we should see if she’s okay?”
    “I’m trying to mend my ways, since jumping into the middle of things hasn’t worked out so well.”
    “What do you mean?” Lauren stopped suddenly, her progress blocked by a crush of people filling the doorway. “The bad people we’ve encountered have ended up in jail—that’s a pretty good result, if you ask me.”
    “Easy for you to say—I’m the one who’s been bashed in the head, had a shoulder injured and had to hobble around on crutches for weeks.”
    “Oh, wah-wah-wah. Always thinking of yourself, aren’t you?”
    “Since when have you wanted to risk anything to help anyone in trouble?”
    Lauren turned and stared at her.
    “I’ve done more than my share in your little adventures, if that’s what you want to call them.”
    “I didn’t say you haven’t been helpful. It’s just that you’re usually the one trying to talk me out of getting involved in other people’s business.”
    If Lauren made a biting retort, it was lost when Jenny was forced out the door by a large woman who was determined to leave and was willing to shove anyone who got in her way. She bumped into Lauren, almost knocking them both to the ground; only Harriet’s proximity to a support post prevented them all from falling over. The cement column slammed into her spine with bruising force.
    “What’s going on in there?” she asked Jenny when they had all taken a step apart and regained their balance.
    “I don’t know. I was in the restroom, and when I came out everyone was screaming and heading for the door. There was nothing to do but go along with the flow.”
    “Did you hear anything else, or smell smoke or anything?” Lauren asked.
    “No, the restrooms are so close to the front, I couldn’t see any thing but the backs of the people surrounding me. And the only noise in there was screaming, and someone calling for anyone with a phone to dial nine-one-one.”
    “Maybe someone had a heart attack or something,” Lauren said and turned toward the food booths. The sound of sirens approaching became louder.
    “I want to go check on my quilt,” Jenny said.
    “I’ll come with you,” Harriet said, “but I think we’re going to have to wait a minute until the crowd clears.”
    Lauren gave Harriet a questioning look. Harriet shrugged. Jenny’s behavior seemed a bit insensitive to her, but then, everyone reacts to shock in their own way. Who were they to judge?
    “I don’t know if you